Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

I couldn't get through this title. It ended up not being for me, but I hope it finds a hope with other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. Shallow Waters is a story about Black resilience, love, and feminine strength.

"Shallow Waters imagines Yemaya, an Orïsha—a deity in the religion of Africa’s Yoruba people—cast into mid-1800s America. We meet Yemaya as a young woman, still in the care of her mother and not yet fully aware of the spectacular power she possesses to protect herself and those she holds dear. Yemaya realizes the fighter within, travels the Underground Railroad in search of the mysterious stranger Obatala, and crosses paths with icons of our history on the road to freedom. Shallow Waters is a nourishing work of ritual storytelling from promising debut author Anita Kopacz."

I haven't read many books that are set in Africa, or read stories that are about an African goddess. This was and intriguing read, and I enjoyed it. I learned a lot as well. I read the book over just a few sittings, I didn't want to put it down. Kopacz has a beautiful and impactful writing style, and I liked following her characters.

This is a case of the synopsis being a bit more intriguing than the execution, but as a complete newbie to Yemaya (and most deities or religions in general), I’m probably not remotely fit to judge this work. As a reader though, and as others have noted, this certainly reads more fantasy YA/middle grade. I didn’t mind. The first have of the book really gets you hooked, but the latter half left something to be desired for me. I would’ve definitely loved more expanding on character development and for the book to have actually been longer, which tells me I just may enjoy dipping my toes into some more mythological retellings .

Orishas! What's not to love! First off, there are not nearly enough books on the market about African gods! Yemaya is featured in a rendition of one of her man romantic options with another Orisha. This one hones in on the African Slave trade with the addition of some historical figures from the fight for freedom from enslavement. While short, I enjoyed this one and finished in one sitting. It's just a taste of so many more topics to explore from an abolitionist to the underground railroad, and African diety lore.

Anita Kopacz was a featured author on the FreshFiction.com blog, in an exclusive interview. You can find the interview here: https://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=11421

A fast read that I feel would have benefited from a few more pages. I really wanted more from this: more world building, more character development and background. I feel like I was teased by this books potential.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Magical and mesmerizing, Yemaya accompanies a slave ship from Africa to the Americas, following her love, Obatala. Not human, Yemaya is known to all as the One, a witch to the white slave owners, and a beautiful woman to the soldiers of the Underground Railroad. Ms. Kopacz tells this tale adroitly and sensitively.

Kopacz’s book Shallow Waters is one that needs to be included alongside Butler’s Kindred. Shallow Waters weaves together Yoruba deities, Native American tribes, and the Underground Railroad into a seamless and beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking, novel. This book is perfect for middle school and high school students. As a former teacher, I see a lot of potential with this novel: you could be studying religion (Yoruba, Native American, Quaker), or history (slave trade, Trail of Tears, the Underground Railroad), or philosophy and transcendentalism (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman). The possibilities are endless. Kopacz gives a brief nod to many different religions, peoples, and events throughout her novel. It is by no means an exhaustive book with many details, but enough to encourage you to learn more.

The story follows Yemaya, a young merwoman who lives off the coast of Africa. She falls in love with a local fisherman, Obtala, and when slavers come to pirate away Obtala’s people, Yemaya follows the slave ships. She arrives in America and transforms into human form. She journeys across many states to find her true love, encounters many notable people, and learns to embrace her goddess self.

As I mentioned above, this is a great YA book. The pacing is quick, the language easy to understand, and the characters present a historic snapshot of the times. I do wish that there was more to the ending of the book—perhaps a bit more about Yemaya coming into her powers, but I don’t think Yemaya’s goddess status is Kopacz’s focus. I love that this book paints a mural of strong BIPOC women. While reading this, I couldn’t help but think how many young girls will love reading about a strong African merwoman-goddess who looks like them or about the young and feisty Native American girl. I enjoyed that there’s a bit of magic in here and that the romance is tactful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC.

I'm pretty sure some of this went over my head, but it's back to school season so my brain is not at its best right now. What I will say, is this is a powerful and compelling story that fans of The Water Dancer should RUN to read!

Happy publishing day to this beauty of a book! What a unique and beautiful story. Yemya is brought to life in the mid-1800s and falls in love with an African fisherman while they are both at sea. She follows him to land where he is captured and forced to become a slave. The story follows Yemya as she searches for him and travels the Underground Railroad. The story is mythical but a mix of historical fiction. It is not something I normally pick up but I am so glad I did, I really enjoyed it. Im grateful to Atria/Black Privilege Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

This story is fantastic and a must read for lovers of myth and history. The characterization pulls you in, and the way that the different facets of history at the time are woven together makes for a rich atmosphere.

Anita Kopacz's Shallow Waters is built around a striking premise: a young Yemaya (the Yoruba mother/sea god), unaware of her powers, falls in love with an African fisherman and, when he is captured by slavers, follows his boat across the sea to the pre-Civil War U.S., transforms herself into a woman and sets out in search of this man. The book has been compared to The Water Dancer and The Prophets, so I was looking forward to the kind of read that would build a world and let me live in the minds of its characters as they experience that world.

As several reviewers have pointed out, however, this title reads like Young Adult literature. It's episodic, and too much of the narrative relies on coincidence. I'm meaning to slam neither young adult literature nor Shallow Waters, but at 224 pages the author doesn't give herself room to flesh out the many situations, settings, and characters she creates. I'd love to see this novel developed into a trilogy, say, that would let readers linger on different stages in the journey Yemaya takes.

Bottom line, though: Kopacz wrote the book she wanted to write—not the book I might have wished she'd written. Shallow Waters provides an effective basic introduction to one part of Yoruba beliefs; introduces a number of historical characters, including Harriet Tubman and Ralph Waldo Emerson; depicts the underground railroad; and explores the way U.S. colonialism shaped the lives of those unwillingly brought from Africa and those who were living on this land before the arrival of Europeans. There's much to value here, even if some readers may leave the book wishing for more.

I received an electronic review copy of this title from the publisher; the opinions are my own.

[I have also posted this review on Edelweiss and LibraryThing.]

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. This story is based on an African folk tale about a black mermaid named Yemaya and the man she loves, Obatala. I had never heard of this story or of either of these characters, but author Anita Kopacz did a fine job bringing them to life and relating their adventures. When Obatala is taken from his homeland and sold as a slave in America, Yemaya follows him--first as a mermaid and then as a woman. She has magical powers, as well as the ability to heal. She is befriended by kind white people and desperate slaves, who have faith that she can help them. As she travels from state to state with the Underground Railroad, she is focused on finding Obatala. Anita Kopacz is a promising new author and I hope she plans to pen more books. If you have never heard of Yemaya and Obatala, I recommend this one--it is a quick read and well-written. I look forward to hearing more from this author.

"You are Yemaya, the Goddess of the Sea."

I love books that incorporate elements of fantasy, mythology, or magical realism to breathe new life into old stories or to retell historical events from a new perspective. So I was instantly sold on the premise of Shallow Waters, which tells the story of Yemaya, an African goddess, who traverses the Underground Railroad in pursuit of a man who once protected her from being captured as a slave.

"Our best bet during those times of doubt is to rely upon faith. Faith that one day we will see the light again."

But, as excited as I was about Shallow Waters, I found myself wanting more from the story at every turn. At just over 200 pages, it's more of a short story than a novel, and the brief length didn't leave room for sufficient explanations, character development, cultural background, or world-building. Much of the book felt a little one-dimensional, rushed, and incomplete, almost as though important sections were missing.

"We are in this together, united by the knowledge that we need one another to survive."

Because of the lack of depth, paired with a very simplistic writing style, this book feels much more like something intended for middle-grade or young-adult readers. It isn't a bad story at all; in fact, I loved everything about the premise and the intent of it! I just wish there had been more, to really immerse myself in the African legends, the various cultures introduced, and the different settings explored.

"Your presence has renewed our faith and made us understand that no one can rob us of our roots."

Even though it left me wanting more, I'm impressed with what Anita Kopacz has done here, shining a fresh light on the horrors of slavery and racism, while also acknowledging the historical oppression of women and Native communities, through the lens of magical realism. This is a moving story of resilience, bravery, hope, and love in the face of terrible circumstances. A worthwhile read!

"When I’m older, I promise you that I’ll change things for Negroes, Natives, and women. People always think I’m silly for thinking this way, but we’re all in chains. I want to be free, too."

——

A huge thank you to Anita Kopacz, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was highly anticipating this book. This story of Yemaya, the African Orisha of bodies of water, was a good read. I enjoyed the connections to other Orishas and various famous leaders of that time. It is a great introduction for novices of traditional African religions with a great storyline. I read like a young adult novel although it's not in that category. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like a good origin story. Thank you to Atria for allowing me the opportunity to review this book. I love what you put out!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off, when I read the description for this book, I added it to my TBR list right away. I was planning on purchasing this book even if I didn't get approved to review it on NetGalley. Thank you again to the publisher for this opportunity!

Shallow Waters by Anita Kopacz is a historical fantasy based on African myths and antebellum America. The story revolves around Yemaya, a Yoruba goddess who travels from Africa to the mid-1800's America in search of a man. Along the way, she meets historical figures. Based on the description, this book sounded like the perfect blend of history and fantasy. In addition, I think it's so important to support #ownvoices black authors, especially during this time. A lot of books in both the history and fantasy genres focus on white people, and there really aren't enough books that feature People of Color written by authors of color.

Here is an excerpt from the description of the book:

"Shallow Waters imagines Yemaya, an Orïsha—a deity in the religion of Africa’s Yoruba people—cast into mid-1800s America. We meet Yemaya as a young woman, still in the care of her mother and not yet fully aware of the spectacular power she possesses to protect herself and those she holds dear.
The journey laid out in Shallow Waters sees Yemaya confront the greatest evils of this era; transcend time and place in search of Obatala, a man who sacrifices his own freedom for the chance at hers; and grow into the powerful woman she was destined to become. We travel alongside Yemaya from her native Africa and on to the “New World"...
Yemaya realizes the fighter within, travels the Underground Railroad in search of the mysterious stranger Obatala, and crosses paths with icons of our history on the road to freedom."

Unfortunately, this book turned out to have a better concept than execution. In my opinion, the description of the book was much better than any quotes I could find in the actual book. Yemaya is an African goddess but I didn't see her use any exciting magical powers. She travels through exotic settings but I didn't get much world-building or descriptions of those locales. She meets historical figures along the way, but I didn't recognize any. It wasn't until I went back to the timeline at the beginning of the book that I realized the character of "Moses" was actually Harriet Tubman! Overall, Shallow Waters is a book that is less interesting than its synopsis. It's possible that I just didn't understand it, which is why I am giving it the benefit of the doubt and giving it 3 stars. If you're a fan of historical fantasy or #ownvoices books by black authors, you can check out this book when it comes out in August!

In short, this is an imagined story of Yemaya, the water goddess, pursuing the man (Obatala) she loves when he is captured in Africa and brought to America in chains to be sold into slavery. She, too, is captured and the book is essentially her pursuit to reunite with him. In her quest, she matures into womanhood and discovers her powers which are mistakenly referred to as witchcraft by some. Orphaned at a young age, Yemaya is largely clueless about her people, powers, or purpose (beyond searching for Obatala); however, her legendary status precedes her as it seems there is always someone she encounters who knows more about her than she does. During her journey North to freedom via the Underground Railroad, she meets several note-worthy historical figures - a woman named Moses (Harriet Tubman), a runaway slave named Frederick (Douglas), etc. but these encounters were too brief and added very little to the story outside of name-recognition.

Perhaps it was just me, but I was expecting much more based on the publisher’s description and recommendation for fans of The Water Dancer. This read like a young adult/middle-grade story where the protagonist seemingly surfs from one scene to the next in a series of neatly threaded coincidences (presented as “destiny” in the novel) leading to a fairly predictable (and protracted) ending. There is little breadth or depth to any of the characters. Granted, the story is notable and educational in that it introduces at a cursory level Yoruba folklore, the Quakers as abolitionists, and African American icons that share a touch of their principles/philosophies, and a key historical event that affected the Cherokee Nation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to review this book.